This isn’t just a story about an AI logo, it’s a story about locals who feel the business they frequented was replaced by someone trying to make a quick buck.

And an owner who believes that means the locals want to “destroy” her business.

Im not choosing a side, but it doesn’t seem like they have a strong future with or without a logo. That’s just Santa Cruz culture, very aggro surfers.

Many of the surrounding restaurants are very immersed in local surf culture and put a great deal of resources and effort into their decor.

Echoing that. 99 Bottles really was an institution. It had the feel of a proper local pub: warm, a little scruffy, and full of character. The walls were covered with bottle caps from all kinds of beer brands — probably more than 99, honestly.

And if you made it through all 99 beers on their list, you got a small plaque on the wall, about the size of one of those e-ink grocery price tags. It was a great tavern-like atmosphere, and the kind of place that felt increasingly rare even before it was gone.

> This isn’t just a story about an AI logo, it’s a story about locals who feel the business they frequented was replaced by someone trying to make a quick buck.

An AI logo is consistent with that, though. I _do_ think that, in general, using generative AI for this sort of thing is basically declaring "I didn't care enough to do this properly", and that is a bad look for branding at the best of times.

I have family in Santa Cruz, and last time I was visiting, we were talking about pizza places and we identified them by the merchandise they sell.

It is an odd place.

> That’s just Santa Cruz culture, very aggro surfers

This sums it up well. If this were in New York, I’d be on the owner’s side (provided the food lives up). In Santa Cruz, it’s just tone deaf to (a) not involve the community in the design process, (b) not take the hint from the reviews and then (c) play the victim in the media.